Swab



Patented Dec. `18, 1928.

GRANVILLE A. HUMAsoN, or HOUSTON, TEXAS.

SWAB.

Application kfiled .Tune 21,

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a swab.

One Object of the invention is to provide a ydev-ice of the character described specially designed vfor use'in 'swabb'ing out and cleaning a well bore and relieving the same of all surplus waterand slush preparatory to the production of oil therefrom. Y Another object of the invention is to provide aswab of thecharacter described hav# `ing afplunger which will release the pipe in which the swab works, -oii down stroke, to minimize the friction` with said pipe, but which, upon upstroke, will expand and fit closely within said pipe to prevent the leakage of fluid 'downwardly' between said plungxer and pipe. v

A yfurther feature vof the inventionis Vto provide a swab, `of the character described of' such construction that in case of anoverload the excessload -willbe released to prevent breakage ofthe operating-stem or other arts. y' i Vith the above vand other objects in 'view` this invention has particular relation to ,cerf

' tain V`novel features of construction, opera- 'tion and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification and il- Y lustrated inthe accompanying drawings,

wherein Figures 1 to 3 inclusive show yvertical sectional views of top, intermediate ,and bottom sections of a completel swab, taken in the order shown.

Figures 4V and 5 show vertical sectional views of an alternative .form of construction which may be substituted for certain `parts shown inFigures 1 to 3.

Figure 6 shows a plan view of one ofthe plunger' sections.y Figure 7 shows a cross sectional view of the swab, taken'on the line 7 7 of Figure 2. Figure 8 shows a cross sectional view tali en on the line 8,8 of Figure 5, and

Figure 9 shows a vertical sectional view of a cage that may be employed.

It may be here noted thatvthe form of device shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, assembled, in `due "orderillustrate a complete swab, in themselves, or, if desired, the bottom sections shown in Figures 4 and 5 may be attached in the order named, onto the bottom ofnthe Y form shown in Figures v1, 2,1and 3 and `.the

operating stem connectedv tothe upper .end lof thetubular mandrel shown, through the box 18, as :wells said springandfitsv upper vend-has fan ein '1926. Serial No. 117,467.

cage illustrated inFigui-e 9, and the over- ,weight spring and connecting parts shown in Figures 1 and 2, removed all as hereini after explained, and a practical type of Y swab thus produced;

Referring now more particularly to the Y f drawings, wherein like numerals of referlence designate similar parts ineach ofthe figures the numeral 1 designates the pipe in a well bore'to be swabbed.v i

The numeral 2 designates the plunger, as a whole. .This plunger ismounted onan operating mandrel l3,tubular inl form.y The, mandrel has a plurality of sections, squareV in cross section arranged, one above the other and downwardly flared, thus formingn the external flat bearing faces4` and the downwardly facing abutments, or shoulders 5.l The faces 4 also are formed with lvertical tenons 6, as shown. The i plungerV is formed of a surrounding sleeve 7,'of .rubber or other'suitable material, and within it the metallic sections 8 whose inner sides are formed toA conform to thel contour of and fit against the respective faces 4 and these sections have verticalmortises 9 -to receive'the respective tenons 6 andare also Aprovided with the inside shoulders 10 adaptedto work` opposite vthe shouldersA 5. i The lower. ends of the plunger sections-8 have the external upwardly facing grooves l11 to receive and vretain the reduced lower end of the sleeve 7Y 'and' beneath the lower end oft/'he plunger there is a--retaining ring. 12 which islocked in place by the lock sleeve 13, which Ais screwed `onto the lowerendl of theV mandrel.` vThe upper end of the plunger is for1iied-with a cap plate 14 which is connected to the respective sections 8 by setboltsr land this plate has a marginal ydepending `annular flange 16 which surrounds the upper endv ofn the sleeve 7. Abutting this cap plate`l4is the upper end plate 17, providedwith a stufng kbox V18 r'and the upper endOfthe mandrel workszthrough a central bearing lin theV cap plate 14 and througlisaid .stuli-ng An vvoperating stem 19' has itslower ,end screwed intoy thereduced upper endof `an elongated, bell shaped housing 20, whose lower endisformed with an internal annular flange, or seat V21.Vl A .coilqspring y2 2 is supported within the housing .2O upon said seat and a tubular nipple/@Sis ifittedthrough larged head 24 which rests on said spring while its lower end is connected to the upper end of the mandrel through the coupling 25. The housing 20 has a plurality of outlet side slots 26Vand the upper end of the nipple 23 has a iared valve seat 27 which is controlledV by the valve 28. rlhis valve is fixed to the lower end of the valve stem 2,9 which works through the guide 3() in the housing 20, and whose upper end is formed with an enlarged head 31.

The swab, as above specifically described, may be let down into the pipe 1. As it is lowered the mandrel will move downwardly V.relativeto the sections 8, thus contracting them, until the shoulders 5 abut against the opposing shoulders 10 and the plunger will thus be contracted to lessen the friction of the sleeve 7 against the pipe 1 and as the swab descends the fluid will pass up through the tubular mandrel 3 and nippleV 23 and lift the valve 28 and pass out through the outlets 26. 'lhe swab may then be pulled upwardly through the stem 19, and with a normal load the valve 28 will seat and prevent the. back flow of fluid.- In case of an the upper end of said coupling 32. A block 33 is screwed into the lower end of this barrel and upstanding from this block is a tube 34 whose upperV end is controlled by the upwardly opening valve, 35, which is confined within the cage 36, attached to the upper end of said tube. This valve carries a stem 37 which works through a suitable bearing in the upper end of said cage.

The lower end of the tube channel separates into radial passages 38, through the block 33 and said block also has vertical passageways 39 therethrough, arranged in 4.staggered relation with respect to the passageways 38.

Threaded onto the lower end of the block 33 there is a valve cage 40, having an internal chamber 41 which the passageways 39 enter, and this chamber has a reduceddownward discharge opening 42 controlled by the valve 43. This valve has `a depending` stem 44 which works through a central bearing `45 in the lower end'of the cage 40, and a coil spring 46 surrounds said stem 44 and is interposed `between the valve 43 and the bearing 45.

In operating this [form of the swab the coupling 25 is detached from the mandrel 3 and the housing 20 and its appendants are -valve 43.

removed and the cage 47 is connected to the upper end of t-he mandrel 3 and the stem 19 then connected to said cage 47.

The swab is then let down into the pipe 1 and the fluid will pass in through the passageways 38 and will lift the valve 35 and pass on up above the swab7 and upon upstroke with normal load, the valve 35 will close to prevent the back flow of the fluid, but in ease of' an overload the valve 43 will be forced open until the excess fluid flows back through the discharge opening 42 and thereupon the spring 46, which is capable of carrying the normal load, will close the In each form of swab vthe upward movenient of the mandrel 3 is limited relative to the plunger `by the ring 12 and the downward movement is limited by the shoulders 5 and 10 and the expansion and contraction of the plunger is thereby controlled, and the range of such expansion and contraction may be varied by adjusting the sleeve 13 up or down on the mandrel. i

l. In a swab a mandrelV having a plurality of downwardly flared sections, one above the other and whose lower ends `terminate in shoulders, a surrounding expansible sleeve, a plurality of expansible sections around the mandrel having inside faces which work against the mandrel sections and formed with shoulders which op-V pose the shoulders of thev mandrel, the

lower ends of said expansible sections having upwardly facing grooves into which the lower end of the sleeve fir-ts. y

y 2. In a swab amandrel having a plurality of downwardly flared sections, one above the other and whose lower endsterminate in shoulders, a surrounding expansible sleeve, a plurality of expansible `sections around the mandrel having inside faces which work` against the mandrel sections and formed with shoulders which oppose the shoulders of the mandrel, the lower end of the plunger' sections and the abutting lower end of said sleeve being provided, one

with an annular groove into which the other .i

lits.

3. In a swab a mandrel having a pluralitythe shoulders of the mandrel, the lower end of the plunger sections and the abutting lower end of said sleeve being provided, one with an annular groove into which the other fits, an abutment secured to the mandrel beneath said expansiblesections, a Cap platea connected to the upper ends of said expansible sections and formed with a Inarginal depending annular flange which eX- gages the upper end of said sleeve.

4. In a swab a mandrel having a plu'- rality of downwardly flared sections, one above the other and whose lower ends terminate in shoulders, a surrounding expansible sleeve, a plurality of expansible sections within the sleeve lhaving inside faces which work against the mandrel sections and formed with `shoulders which oppose the shoulders of the mandrel, the lower end of the plunger sections and the abutting with an annular groove into which the other fits, an abutment secured to the mandrel beneath said expansible sections, a cap plate In testimony whereof I have signedmy` name to this specification.

GRANVILLE A. HUMAsoN.

connected to the upper ends of said ex- 

